After eight months, the body of Bikram Lama – the former international student known as Sydney’s ‘birdman’ – will finally be repatriated to Nepal. Euro Funeral Services confirmed the remains will be placed on a plane in coming days.
Background: A tragic death in Hyde Park
Bikram Lama, 32, died while sleeping rough in Hyde Park, Sydney, in December. His body was discovered days later near the St James station tunnel, badly decomposed. He had been homeless in one of the world’s wealthiest countries.
His mother, Seti Maya Lama, 71, has been grieving in their remote village in Makwanpur, Nepal. “I just want to see my son’s face one last time,” she said. “If I can see him one last time, my heart will finally find some peace.”
Delays in the coronial process
The repatriation was delayed due to coronial procedures. A DNA sample required Seti Maya to travel to Kathmandu, completed in early June. However, the coroner cited ongoing police brief compilation. The family described the delays as extremely slow.
Usha Lama, Bikram’s sister-in-law, said: “It feels unbelievable that it has taken so many months to bring him home. ... Instead of welcoming him back alive after going abroad to earn a living, we are forced to welcome his body. That is the painful reality.”
Criticism of the coronial system
Former deputy state coroner Hugh Dillon criticised the system, saying police set their own timetables and priorities. “The system would work better ... if there were police investigators dedicated to coronial investigations,” he said. He called for a better-resourced specialist court and a coordinated management structure.
The family’s financial condition is poor, and they have relied on Nepali community organisations and students in Australia for assistance. Nepal’s government is also helping. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri stated: “The Government of Nepal has been treating such incidents with the utmost seriousness.”
